First of all I have to confess! I’m a forageholic! Yes I could really name myself that. It can either be wild garlic, dandelion, mushrooms or some totally random leaves I love it all. Spring would probably be my favourite season of the year because i just love dandelion and wild garlic that much!

ABOUT WILD GARLIC

Just to tell you a bit about Wild garlic, we call it Čemaž in Slovenia, but scientific name for it is Allium ursinum. It grows across Europe, even in UK and in western Asia. Usually you can find him in wet areas of the forest. Where I pick it it’s super wet cause it’s next to the river and you have it in abundance! As soon as you get close to it, you can smell it! You can’t miss it.

It first comes out in March and it’s one of the first plants to grow so we know spring is coming. In March it’s still pretty small so you have to pick a lot of leaves, but they taste the best! Wild garlic can grow all the way till June, but it has flowers by that time and it doesn’t taste as good as the young one. They get more bitter as soon as the flowers appear. But you can use every part of the plant! You can use it’s bulbs, stems, leaves and even flowers.

WHAT TO DO WITH IT?

You can pickle them, you can put them in vinegar, you can make spreads, soups, pasta, pesto, tincture, or you can just use it fresh in salads, sandwiches etc. So it’s all up to your imagination! I usually make spreads, soups, pesto or I just use it fresh on salads! Even Romans loved to use wild garlic, that’s how good it is!

Find these recipes here – 1, 2 and 3

HEALTH BENEFITS

Of course it’s also healthy! Even healthier then regular garlic they say!  Because it stimulates the glands, blood circulation, clean the entire digestive path and airways. It’s also a good remedy against intestinal worms, skin cleanser and consequently eliminate rashes and lichens, promote wound healing and it has soothing effect on the whole body. Wild garlic juice should help to heal the wound too. Moreover, a good anti-asthmatic, lowers cholesterol, is a diuretic (urine discharged from the body) and antipyretic (lowers fever).

CAUTION

Just be careful that you don’t mix it with similar plants such as Lily of the Valley, Death Camas or False Garlic! These ones don’t smell like garlic and usually they don’t grow at the same areas. If you are not sure consult with someone!

GO AND FORAGE

It think there is more then enough reasons to use wild garlic, especially you should forage it yourself so you get to spend some time in a forest and you even pick your own food/ingredient!

There are also bees everywhere and snowdrops! Spring is just amazing! ❤

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